political perspectives from Joni Hudson-Reynolds, an African-American Mom

Whoever said a victim had to be an angel?

Today, Freddie Gray will be buried. He died from injuries sustained while in custody of the Baltimore Police. Gray had a police record, but over the last few days we have heard him described as a jokester and an all around good guy. Both of these things could be true. You can have a police record and you can also be a good guy around your family and friends. You can also be a victim without being an angel. You might have done all kinds of criminal things or simply unkind things, but if you are killed at the hands of the police you are the victim. We don’t need anyone to try to redesign or refine your real narrative in an effort for the victim to receive justice.